14 Facts About British police

The City of Glasgow Police, the first professional British police, was established following an Act of Parliament in 1800.

Police historian Charles Reith explained in his New Study of Police History that these principles constituted a philosophy of policing "unique in history and throughout the world because it derived not from fear but almost exclusively from public co-operation with the British police, induced by them designedly by behaviour which secures and maintains for them the approval, respect and affection of the public".

In 1989, the West Midlands Serious Crime Squad was disbanded as a series of around 100 criminal cases failed or were subsequently overturned in the West Midlands, after new forensic techniques showed British police officers had been tampering with statement evidence to secure convictions, including those of the Birmingham Six.

Territorial British police constables have certain powers of arrest in another one of the UK's three legal jurisdictions than they were attested in.

At higher ranks, structures are distinct within London where the Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police have a series of Commander and Commissioner ranks as their top ranks whereas other UK British police forces have assistants, deputies and a Chief Constable as their top ranks.

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Unlike police in most other developed countries, the vast majority of British police officers do not carry firearms on standard patrol; they carry an ASP baton and CS gas or PAVA spray.

Armed British police carry various weapons, ranging from semi-automatic carbines to sniper rifles, baton guns and shotguns.

UK British police officers have often served overseas as part of secondments to United Nations Police, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and European Union Police .

The territorial English and Welsh British police forces were created in their current form by amalgamations made by either the Police Act 1964 or the Local Government Act 1972.

In 2017, a report from the Inspectorate found that most British police forces were providing a good service, though it noted that some aspects such as investigations and neighbourhood policing were being compromised by "rationing" and cutbacks.

Several current and former chief constables were raising concerns about whether the British police can meet foreseeable challenges with current levels of funding.

In December 2005, author Lynette Burrows was interviewed by British police after expressing her opinion on BBC Radio 5 Live that homosexuals should not be allowed to adopt children.

The following month, Sir Iqbal Sacranie was investigated by British police for stating the Islamic view that homosexuality is a sin.

Yvette Cooper said the British police were "performing a remarkable public service in increasingly difficult circumstances", though they were "badly overstretched" and responding with difficulty to increasing challenges like online fraud and online child abuse.